dionysusaur:Democracy is incompossible with a religion that declares rape a suitable punishment for a woman who dares go outdoors without a male relative.

FTA: So my interpretation of Islam is a bit different from the mullahs.

That's the problem with Islamic cultures: They're founded on interpretations of the holy book made by people who haven't read it (often because they can't), focused through the lens of people with an agenda and amplified in an echo chamber of the ignorant. That's not a situation peculiar to Islam of course, but it does explain why theocracies without a functioning education system and freedom of speech end up the way they are. "What Islam says to do" is pretty much up to the whim of whoever has the most power. This yahoo thinks it's him.

"We are trying to educate the people, to lead the people of Pakistan to work for democracy, to work for peace, to work for the rights of minorities, and to work for the rights of women and the empowerment of women...I was always busy in my research work ... writing books about tolerance and counter-terrorism, and running workshops."

fickenchucker:Wow--it took only thousands of years, but it looks like the message is sinking in. The U.S. of A. better support this guy and his cause.

Big NO, no we shouldn't. Obama and every other American should keep our damned mouths shut on the issue. The second our government or people support anyone over there, that person's chance of success goes straight into the hopper.

President Whackjob Amaloonyjad was behind in Iranian popularity, then Dubbya opened his damn mouth and the guy won by a country mile. The US comes out against the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, and who winds up elected? The Muslim Brotherhood candidate... Who extols the virtues of teaching hate and murder in the name of Islam.Of course that isn't the only reason those people won their elections, however our "influence" in the much of the Middle East is hardly what you could call "positive".

I hope it works out for him. I'd hate to see a guy that spent so long here soaking up our culture and mediocre coffee suddenly seize power and doom the word to nuclear Armageddon...it would be kind of embarrassing.

But this part I agree with. For starters, there's little the US could do to help, but more important: we have no idea how this will actually turn out. It wouldn't be the first time we've propped up a "moderate" only to discover that we made a terrible mistake.

Flakeloaf:That's the problem with Islamic religious cultures: They're founded on interpretations of the holy book made by people who haven't read it (often because they can't), focused through the lens of people with an agenda and amplified in an echo chamber of the ignorant. That's not a situation peculiar to Islam of course...

Glenford:I thought subby was making a joke with the Tim Hortons reference.FTA: And he added, "I always loved it went I went to Tim Hortons there. I always drank Tim Hortons."Donuts...is there anything they can't do?

unchellmatt:fickenchucker: Wow--it took only thousands of years, but it looks like the message is sinking in. The U.S. of A. better support this guy and his cause.

Big NO, no we shouldn't. Obama and every other American should keep our damned mouths shut on the issue. The second our government or people support anyone over there, that person's chance of success goes straight into the hopper.

President Whackjob Amaloonyjad was behind in Iranian popularity, then Dubbya opened his damn mouth and the guy won by a country mile. The US comes out against the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, and who winds up elected? The Muslim Brotherhood candidate... Who extols the virtues of teaching hate and murder in the name of Islam.Of course that isn't the only reason those people won their elections, however our "influence" in the much of the Middle East is hardly what you could call "positive".

No kidding. The US government should claim to support the current Pakistani administration, but not actually lend any real support. The government should fall within weeks.

miscreant:unchellmatt: fickenchucker: Wow--it took only thousands of years, but it looks like the message is sinking in. The U.S. of A. better support this guy and his cause.

Big NO, no we shouldn't. Obama and every other American should keep our damned mouths shut on the issue. The second our government or people support anyone over there, that person's chance of success goes straight into the hopper.

President Whackjob Amaloonyjad was behind in Iranian popularity, then Dubbya opened his damn mouth and the guy won by a country mile. The US comes out against the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, and who winds up elected? The Muslim Brotherhood candidate... Who extols the virtues of teaching hate and murder in the name of Islam.Of course that isn't the only reason those people won their elections, however our "influence" in the much of the Middle East is hardly what you could call "positive".

No kidding. The US government should claim to support the current Pakistani administration, but not actually lend any real support. The government should fall within weeks.